Tales From The Field: Building partners and networks to support international artistic exchange

About

Presented in partnership with The Africa Centre
Communications partner: Hatch Africa
At Arch 29, Union Yard, Union Street, London SE1 0LR
Wednesday 15 March 2017
6.30-9pm (doors open from 6pm)
£12 with complimentary drinks
BOOK NOW.

Visiting Arts engaged with over 400 international artists and cultural managers in the last year in Trinidad & Tobago, Ethiopia, Malawi and the Pacific Islands, face to face through training or knowledge sharing events – with the aim of increasing access to international arts & culture in diverse locations worldwide. Highlighting complex issues, stories and experiences from other cultures and nations is increasingly important to create understanding and empathy in society, and this event will reveal how we build networks and provide exposure for artists to bring their work to new contexts and communities. We’ll discuss the general principles of building partnerships and growing networks to create vibrant international projects that work for multiple stakeholders, and most importantly, artists and creative businesses around the world. The event will conclude with a panel discussion bringing together experienced cultural managers Yemisi Mokuolu from Hatch Africa and Vanessa Eden of Pacific Island Artists Connection, to share thoughts on creating opportunities for international artists to work in the UK and abroad.

Visiting Arts invites you to join a global network of cultural managers, creative producers and artists in a series of discussion and networking events that address equally the bureaucracy inherent in international work as well as the need for cultural sensitivity and dialogue. Real life experiences and first-hand knowledge will be shared by our speakers and through audience discussion. There will be a chance to meet and connect with others who are passionate about seeking, finding and discussing common ground across borders. Stay for networking with a drink after the event.

The event is hosted at the Africa Centre’s new event and performance space at Union Yard Arches in Southwark, where the Centre will soon be delivering its new cultural programme. Right next to this amazing event space is THE HUB, a brand new collaborative and affordable work-space also launched by the Africa Centre, which aims to champion Africa’s creative and entrepreneurial spirit. For more information about the Africa Centre: www.africacentre.org.uk and @TheAfricaCentre.

You can find details about the Tales From The Field series on the Visiting Arts website. Get involved on Twitter with the hashtag #TFTFtalks.

VISITING ARTS

Visiting Arts aims to promote international artistic exchange and strengthen access to opportunities for artists and creative businesses around the world, fostering understanding between cultures. We provide training and mentoring services in business development, networking events and platforms both on- and offline, and facilitate knowledge exchange about international working. Drawing on a pool of international associates to deliver our programmes and a wide network of respected programmers, curators and producers cultivated over decades of support to the sector, we believe that high quality intelligence about placement of artistic products abroad exists in the expertise and experience of our vibrant and growing community.

Since 1977 Visiting Arts has worked with some of the world's most innovative emerging contemporary artists in programmes that engage and inspire young people, communities and future professionals. Working with a range of partners including the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, British Council, Gulbenkian Foundation and Ministries of Culture across the globe, Visiting Arts has conducted research around international cultural leadership including trends in and barriers to international working and needs analyses. Our programmes serve both individuals and micro/small businesses looking to expand as well as festivals, cultural organisations, curators and bookers looking for fresh, innovative work.

ABOUT OUR PARTNERS

The Africa Centre is a UK charity that exists to promote Africa’s creative expression and cultural diversity outside of the continent. We promote innovation in African art, culture, business and entrepreneurship in London. Throughout its rich 50-year history, the Africa Centre has inspired, enlightened, challenged and encouraged. The Africa Centre is dedicated to offering the African diaspora and all people interested in African heritage, economic outlook, cultural trends and business innovations, a platform for experiencing events, engaging in debates and lectures of artistic, cultural or business focus as well as developing programmes and collaborations. Since December 2016, the Africa Centre houses a new co-working space championing Africa’s creative and entrepreneurial spirit: THE HUB. Totalling 2216sq ft split across ground and mezzanine floors, THE HUB boasts hot desks and studio space, in a décor inspired by British-Nigerian designer Yinka Ilori. For more visit africacentre.org.uk.

Hatch Africa is one of the foremost agencies working for enterprise growth and sustainability in Africa across a number of sectors, which includes Social Enterprise, Creative & Cultural Industries, Festivals & Tourism and Agriculture. Their mission is to advance innovation, expand ideas and realise ambition across the continent. Hatch Africa supports lead development agencies to achieve their capacity building, enterprise development and market research objectives. Hatch Africa brings together expertise from around the world to hatch sustainable Africa focused initiatives, enterprises and partnerships. Clients include; Bank of Industry (Nigeria), British Council, Goethe Institute and Ravensbourne. For more visit hatchafrica.com.

ABOUT OUR SPEAKERS

Yemisi Mokuolu is an independent producer and consultant. She is the founder of Hatch Africa and Hatch Events and co-founder and producer of Asa Baako - One Dance festival taking place 1-6 March this year in Ghana. She works within the creative and cultural industries producing independent films, arts seasons and large-scale events, and provides consultancy at industry and practitioner level.

Yemisi has produced arts seasons and festivals for clients which include; Amnesty International, BBC, Cutty Sark, Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea and Shoreditch Trust. She has delivered business support programmes for clients which include; Arts Council England, Bank of Industry (Nigeria), British Council, Creative & Cultural Skillset, London Development Agency, Nesta and Royal College of Art. And, she has provided arts marketing and audience development support to organisations which include; Barbican, Ovalhouse, Royal National Theatre, Southbank Centre and the Victoria & Albert Museum.

Her specialism is on developing the creative and cultural industries in Africa, which she achieves through a number of platforms that includes; "Out of Africa" a live arts promotional network, "Hatch Africa" an enterprise creation agency and "Creative Africa" a knowledge transfer programme.

Vanessa Eden is founder of the Pacific Island Artists Connection - an organisation which helps UK and European Festival and Venue Producers and Directors to communicate and collaborate with artists in the Pacific Islands. She is originally from the UK where she spent 10 years working in the NGO sector as a Researcher and Information Analyst. She is passionate about supporting and developing Fijian and Pacific arts and has worked with Fiji Arts Council on Wasawasa Festival, the Heritage Arts Exhibitions and the Fijian delegation to the Melanesian Arts Festival.

In 2016, Vanessa organised and managed a 2-month tour of Europe for 7 dancers from VOU Dance Company. This kicked off with 3 nights at Glastonbury Festival in the UK and finished with 9 award-winning nights at Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Scotland. She also contributed to a publication for Routledge edited by Polly Stupples and Katerina Teaiwa titled Contemporary Perspectives on Art and International Development.

It is her firm belief that if art and culture are valued and supported through investment, it has the power to interweave its way into a society, resulting in a society economically and socially sustainable and richer. This is why Vanessa has set up PIAC – because she is passionate about supporting the development of the arts and artists in the Pacific and worldwide.